1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a broadcast program information search system and a method thereof, and more particularly, to a broadcast program information search system and a method displaying search terms (or keywords) of high search frequency out of detailed information on receiving broadcast programs so that a user can easily search for broadcast programs he or she wants.
2. Description of the Related Art
A digital broadcast system generally provides multiple channels, that is, lots of broadcast programs compared to an analog broadcast system. The electronic program guide (EPG) is a service that has been proposed to allow a user to select easily broadcast programs that the user wishes from such multiple channels.
The EPG service is a service providing detailed information on broadcast programs through unoccupied frequency bands or channels transmitting certain broadcast signals. The EPG service provides EPG information such as a broadcast program schedule on the screen of a digital TV receiver, and, if a broadcast program title is chosen, enables a user to have diverse detailed information such as a channel number for a broadcast program, broadcast times, a synopsis, and so on.
Such EPG information is stored in a digital TV receiver, and the digital TV receiver provides a convenient function enabling a user to search for detailed information on broadcast programs by using the stored EPG information. The currently proposed modes include a search mode by text input and a search mode by category selection.
FIGS. 1A to 1C are exemplary views shown to explain a conventional method for searching for information on broadcast programs.
The search mode by text input is a mode that displays a keyboard view as shown in FIG. 1A on a display device such as a digital TV receiver by using a remote controller or a wireless keyboard capable of communicating with the digital TV receiver, allows search terms to be typed in, has a search key control, searches for information on a broadcast program corresponding to the typed-in search terms out of stored EPG information, and displays a search result window as shown in FIG. 1C.
In addition, the search mode by category selection is a mode that classifies and displays broadcast programs on a display device by category as shown in FIG. 1B, has a certain category (for example, sports) and any one of its submenu (for example, soccer, golf, baseball, and so on) chosen in order, and allows searching for a broadcast program corresponding to the selected submenu item, and displays a search result window as shown in FIG. 1C.
However, the conventional search method as shown in FIG. 1A requires much time for a user who is not familiar with the use of keyboard or when a user types in search terms by using a remote controller. Further, it has a problem in that a user types in certain search terms and repeats a search process for the typed-in search terms when the user does not know or does not decide search terms for a broadcast program he or she wants to watch.
Further, the conventional search method as shown in FIG. 1B has a problem in that, if a user does not know or does not decide in advance a category for a broadcast program he or she wishes to watch, it has the user select a certain category and repeat a process for searching the submenu of the selected category until a desired broadcast program is searched for.